Sociology/ Political Science

This week we are combining two majors that have a  lot of similarities. We will also look at some of the differences.

Sociology can be studied anywhere at any place. Just look around you. Sociology is the study of culture, how individuals interact with one another, how norms are developed and how our actions effect our reactions. Sociology covers many areas such as race, gender identity, economic status, laws, military, the elderly, civil rights, health care,...you name it. Studies are done over time through empirical investigation and analysis. The result leads to correlations, causations, facts, change, advocacy, new laws, etc. Take a look at these two videos to see what all is included in Sociology.

With a major in sociology one can work in a variety of areas:

Counseling
Case Management
Advocacy
Mental Health Services
Programming
Administration
Corrections
Rehabilitation
Law Enforcement
Judiciary
Teaching
Research
Social Statistics
Demography
Public Administration
Policy Analysis
Research
Program Development
Human Services
City Planning
Law Enforcement

Keep in mind, some areas may require post graduate work or on the job experience.

Individuals interested in the sociology major should have skills in the following:
analytical
communication skills
listening and observation skills
research skills
open-minded view of other cultures and groups

A PhD is what you would need in order to teach at the college level, although master's degrees are accepted at some community colleges. For working outside of the university other jobs will like to see internship experience or volunteer work along with either a Bachelor's or Master's.


Political Science is the study of government, policies, and the effect that it has on society. This can cover all areas that sociology covered such race, gender identity, economic status, laws, military, the elderly, civil rights, health care as well, however it has much more of a focus on politics and it's influence. 

 (videos are so helpful)

Some careers to consider:
Public Policy
Research
Regional Planning
City or Town Management
Intelligence
Foreign Service
Law Enforcement
Legislative, Executive, or
Judicial Services
Program Administration

Skills to possess:
Understanding of American Political systems (or the area you choose to work in)
Efficiency in oral presentation
Accurate research skills
Effective interview skills
An understanding of international politics and policy
Strong communication skills

One of the biggest similarities is the experience you may need in order to work in a political science field and that would be further education. A Master's along with experience such as a Model UN program or internships working with a government or political party can be very useful.

If you are interested in either of these areas check out more links here:

sociology/political science
 http://www.asanet.org/about/ethics.cfm

Thanks for reading! :)

Economics

 Can you take a moment and think about the word "economy"? ..... Stop what you're doing and really try to define it in your own words! It may be hard to do. For me, I had to revert back to my 9th grade economics course to recall what we really learned.

Not to give you a history lesson, but here's a few things:
The word "economy" is derived from the Greek word "oikonomia" which means  household manager, or management. In order to "manage" a home, there are things you need for it such as goods, utilities, products, etc. These are then purchased or traded (for something else) by someone who supplies the items, and the cycle of supply and demand continue, all so that the population can manage their home. The economy began a long time ago through goods and services being traded throughout towns. Over time, standards of value were  established, creating a more united value. And while one hand fed the other an economic system was created. (Now that was the very brief version of it.) This is not a perfect system by no means, but it is the means in which we live today. Here's a short video that explains the system a bit better.

So when you now think about what the word "economy" might entail, you may be thinking, "wow, everything!" And you would be exactly right. So accordingly, I think Wikipedia puts it best,  Economy is the human activity that consists in producing, exchanging, distributing, and consuming goods and services, studied by economics and realized inside an economic system. It is responsible for human being activities and institutions for satisfying human needs of the society.

So now we can get into the job of an Economist! Yay, because that's the main point of this blog entry. Ok, so it's just as simple as this..... Economist analyze finances, research, compile reports, and forecast economic trends. They share their information with companies, businesses, government, and the public. They may also develop theories and research that prove, influence, or disprove current beliefs or systems.

So I lied, this job is not so simple. In fact, to be a successful economists, most research suggests attaining a  PhD before really working in the field. Many may study markets, politics, social classes, technology, or an array of other areas. With that being said there are a variety of jobs that an economist may work in.

Popular career titles or areas of work:

• Accountants and Auditors
• Budget Analysts
• Credit Analysts
• Farm and Home Management Advisors
• Financial Analysts
• Financial Examiners
• Operations Research Analysts
• Purchasing Managers
• Accountants and Auditors
• Budget Analysts
• Credit Analysts
• Farm and Home Management Advisors
• Financial Analysts
• Financial Examiners
• Operations Research Analysts
• Purchasing Managers

For more info on what you can do with this major click here.

Skills and abilities:
Active listening
Critical thinking
Mathematics
Analytical abilities
Writing skills
Deductive/inductive reasoning
Oral comprehension and expression

If you are interested in this major please consider the following links in your research!

Infonet: Economics in Michigan
http://www.economist.com/economics
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Lastly, I want to leave you with a video that I think you may appreciate in regards to economics and social media. Leave a message and let me know what you think of this week's entry or even just about the video.

Actuarial Science

Rueben the Risk Analyst

So I was watching a movie one day called  “Along Came Polly” staring Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston. (disclaimer: I’m not necessarily promoting this movie, although I thoroughly enjoyed it). When researching Actuarial Science, this movie came to mind. The movie depicts Reuben Feffer as an uptight, actuarial or risk analyst who works for an insurance company. Although this is just a movie and exaggerates the lifestyle of an actuary, it does give a little insight to this area we call, “Actuarial Science”. Actuarial scientists analyze, predict, and look to find ways to decrease risk within corporate companies, banks, government or within a personal consulting business. This was the first time I was ever really introduced to this career field. 

This career choice seems to be one that many individuals haven’t heard about or have yet to be exposed to.  In 2008 there were less than 20,000 actuaries in the United States. So the likelihood of you or I coming across an Actuary is significantly less than the probability of, let’s say knowing personally someone who is in the health field.

Even more, most people have a hard time describing just even what they think an actuary might be! Check this video out.  

What we do know about actuarial science is that individuals interested in this major must have a love for math. More than just a love, you also must be quite proficient with numbers and formulas. Although there are lots of benefits to this job, such as a relatively high starting salary (on average), more job stability, increasing outlook and pretty relaxed environments; its important to be aware that this job is for those who really pay great attention to detail and are equipped with great critical thinking skills. Just think…Actuaries are like fortunetellers. They predict the future [risk] that may or may not occur, however they have proof to back them up—numbers and formulas. With this being said, being “right” is probably more than just necessary.

So here are some things to consider if you are thinking about choosing a field of study in actuarial science.  

Skills and Abilities:

Proficient math knowledge
Calculus, statistics, probability
Keen analytical, project management, and problem solving skills
Good business sense
Finance, accounting, economics
Solid communication skills (oral and written)
Strong computer skills
Formulating spreadsheets, statistical analysis programs, database manipulation, programming languages

Most actuaries are also equipped with these 3 interest areas: 

 Conventional, Investigative, Enterprising

Want to test your knowledge, try doing this problem:
1. A tour operator has a bus that can accommodate 20 tourists. The operator knows that tourists may not show up, so he sells 21 tickets. The probability that an individual tourist will not show up is 0.02, independent of all other tourists. Each ticket costs 50, and is non-refundable if a tourist fails to show up. If a tourist shows up and a seat is not available, the tour operator has to pay 100 (ticket cost + 50 penalty) to the tourist. What is the expected revenue of the tour operator?
- 935
- 950
- 967
- 976
- 985
This is just an example of the type of problems an actuary might solve. 

  

Educational Prep:

Classes in these specific areas are definitely helpful.
finance
microeconomics
macroeconomics
three semesters of calculus
one semester of linear algebra
two semesters of calculus-based probability and statistics
actuarial science courses, as available
computer science courses
business courses, such as marketing
communication courses, such as speech, business writing and technical writing
literature, history, art, political science, the humanities, and other liberal arts classes

Four-year degree programs are very helpful and can prepare you for the work that will be needed to pass the professional exams required of this career. However, a degree is not required, as long as you can pass the exams.
Related majors to consider: Mathematics, Applied Statistics, Computer Science
 

Related Careers:

Accountants and auditors

Budget analysts

Economists

Financial analysts

Insurance underwriters

Market and survey researchers

Mathematicians

Personal financial advisors

Statisticians

If you are considering a career as an actuary, check out the following links for more information. 

O*Net

beanactuary.com

Actuarial Science at Oakland

Anthropology

Have you ever heard of the statement, “You don’t know where you’re going unless you know where you’ve been”?  This statement could possibly be the tag line for Anthropologists. 

Anthropologists are known to search around the past to find answers to the present and hope for the future. They study people and society, from our beginnings right through to the current day. They examine all aspects of humanity, from physical characteristics to languages,social behavior and cultures. Tell me this, are you a person that often asks the question, “Why did this happen?” Its a very common question that Anthropologists ask about society, events, etc. In general they ask about why things occur, not to just ask, but to also find out how. You can only imagine the creative side one must have to be successful in this career! A niche in sciences also can really help in order to get to the bottom of a mystery.

We work with students on a daily basis. One question we get often is this: “What can I do with a major in anthropology” (usually followed by a look of disbelief that there would be such an appealing answer that we could come up with). This may be the hard part to wrap one’s head around. Anthropologists work in so many different types of environments from office jobs like GM learning about how employees work together, to research in the dry fields of Africa. Variety is a big bonus in this career. There are also varying areas of study for Anthropologists. Just take a look at this list:

• Sociocultural Anthropology - Seeks to understand the internal logic of societies through ethnography
• Archaeology - Retrieves artifacts from the past and places them in context to understand our history and its relevance for today
• Physical Anthropology - Traces our biological origins, evolutionary development, and genetic diversity
• Linguistic Anthropology - Seeks to explain the very nature of language and its use by humans
• Medical Anthropology - Seeks to better understand factors that influence peoples' health and well being
• Forensic Anthropology - Seeks to identify skeletal, or otherwise decomposed, human remains
• Business Anthropology - Helps businesses gain a better understanding of their activities and customers
• Visual Anthropology - Documents everyday life through film-making
• Environmental Anthropology - Believes that the well-being of the environment goes hand in hand with the well-being of people
• Museum Anthropology - Interprets ethnographic and archaeological collections to the general public

Even just from the list you can already get a sense of the diversity within this career field. It makes the word “limit” seem so insignificant. 

Now, with these types of careers there are some basic skills that will be necessary overall. Here are a few:

Skills and Abilities:

Ability to communicate and convey information effectively, active listening skills, critical thinking, reading comprehension through research and related documents, ability to use the scientific method to solve problems; individuals interested in anthropology should understand that as new information becomes available, one should be adept with new skills and stay up to date.

Most Anthropologists are also equipped with these 3 interest areas: Investigative, Enterprising, and Artistic.

Education:

A PhD is the minimum requirement for a college or university position. That takes at least four years of study after your bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree with a major in anthropology also takes four years and most major universities offer it.

So with all that being said, here are a few sample careers to consider:

Sample Careers for Anthropology majors:

Social Science Policy Analyst

Field Archaeologist

Cultural Resources Manager

Employment equity officer

Conservation/Restoration Technician

Exhibit Assistant

Here are a list of related occupations:

Archaeologist

Professor

Linguist

Historian

Geographer

Museum Curator

Sociologist

Urban Planner 

If you are interested in the Anthropology major, check out these other links for more information!

https://access.bridges.com/cx/careers/WhatTheyDo.do?occupationId=1170

http://www.umanitoba.ca/student/counselling/spotlights/anthr.html

http://www.oaklandcc.edu/Counseling/occupational_information.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjcD-U1LxH4&feature=related

Welcome to our Blog!

When you were a small child, you may have wondered or have been asked, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" Or maybe when you graduated from high school the question of the season was, "What will your major be?" Now, while you're in college the question you may ponder is, "What will I do after college and what will I do with this [insert major] degree?" The overarching question that most can identify with:"What am I doing with my life?"  It's a common question and many students are in the same boat, not knowing what major to choose or which career to work towards. How could you know? There's so much out there, right? There are scientists, astrologers, geographers, nurses, ophthalmologists, welders,  auto mechanics, actuaries, and bankers, etc. The list can go on for days. There are so many different jobs out there. How does one go about choosing just one?! It's a big question to answer, however not impossible.
   The Advising Resource Center on Oakland University's campus works with students who are undecided on a major or re-deciding on a major. We work with students at all exploring stages; students who have no idea of what they want to do with little to no interest in any area, to students who actually have a major and want to just confirm some of their ideas.   Choosing a major rarely happens over night. It is a process that every person should take the time to evaluate. And choosing a major can be even harder when you have little experience or haven't explored options. With our list of majors (over 133 majors to choose from), its hard to narrow down what best will suit one's needs for life after college; hence- the point of this blog.
   Each week we will be showcasing a major and review career options, preparation information, and some cool details about each area in hopes to create a large archive for our students and others who find it appealing. To keep up with our page, you can follow us or subscribe to this blog. You can even like our Facebook page and follow that way!...In fact, I encourage you to do that now!
With that being said, we look forward to you reading our 1st major/career post in just 7 days!


“Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit.”
-Frank Borman

**Please note that although we encourage our students to take away as much info as possible, we are not encouraging nor endorsing any one career choice over another.